UN General Assembly Begins Under Massive Security Lockdown

The annual United Nations General Assembly begins today and NYC is under a tight security lockdown. Midtown subway stations are swarming with cops and ominous men in dark suits. Many East Side streets are closed. Heightening tensions is this:

Investigators overheard conversations that indicated an attack might be carried out on New York’s subways in a style similar to the attack in Madrid in March of 2004. A 24-year-old Afghan man was arrested in Colorado in connection with this investigation. Najibullah Zazi, a permanent U.S. resident, is being held for lying to federal investigators. TIME reported that Zazi was the leader of this terrorist cell affiliated with Al-Qaeda. In their investigation, authorities were listening to phone conversations as well as questioning Zazi. Reports have also surfaced that law enforcement has been investigating as many as six other people. The AP is reporting that Zazi’s fingerprints were found on materials like batteries and scales that could be used to make a bomb.

According to reports, men associated with Zazi tried to rent a U-Haul in Queens but were turned away after their credit cards were declined.